Here There Be Tygers (1968 short story)

Last updated
"Here There Be Tygers"
by Stephen King
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre(s) Horror, Short story
Published in Skeleton Crew
Publisher Putnam
Media typePrint (Paperback)
Publication date 1985

"Here There Be Tygers" is a short horror story by Stephen King. It was originally published in the Spring 1968 issue of Ubris magazine, and collected in King's Skeleton Crew in 1985. This story is extremely short, and written from the perspective of a boy who believes a tiger is lurking in his school bathroom. [1]

Contents

The title references the phrases used by medieval cartographers when they put warnings on unexplored portions of their maps. The phrase was also used in King's later story "The Reploids." In the film version of King's novel The Dark Half , the story Thad's mother looks at is a copy of this story.

As Stephen King noted in the foreword to Skeleton Crew, this is one of the first stories King ever wrote. [2] It was written when King was a high school student.

Plot

Charles is a third grader. He needs to use the bathroom in the school's basement, and his teacher Miss Bird humiliates him by addressing his need in front of the class. ("Very well Charles. You may go to the bathroom and urinate. Is that what you need to do? Urinate?") Arriving at the lavatory, he peeks around the corner and sees a tiger lying on the bathroom floor. He stands at the door, too afraid to enter. Eventually, a child named Kenny Griffen comes to get him. Charles begins to cry and Kenny leads him in to the bathroom, reassuring him that he imagined the tiger. Kenny goes around the corner and disappears. Charles escapes from the bathroom, and when he forces himself to go back in, he sees the tiger has a torn piece of Kenny's shirt on its claw, and notes that the air smells of blood. Charles, seeing no other option, relieves himself in the sink, but Miss Bird catches him. She goes around the corner to find Kenny, and Charles leaves the bathroom and returns to class, leaving Miss Bird with the tiger.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Skeleton Crew</i> (short story collection) 1985 short story collection by Stephen King

Skeleton Crew is a collection of short fiction by American writer Stephen King, published by Putnam in June 1985. A limited edition of a thousand copies was published by Scream/Press in October 1985 (ISBN 978-0910489126), illustrated by J. K. Potter, containing an additional short story, "The Revelations of 'Becka Paulson", which had originally appeared in Rolling Stone magazine, and was later incorporated into King's 1987 novel The Tommyknockers. The original title of this book was Night Moves.

<i>The Mist</i> (novella) Book by Stephen King

The Mist is a psychological horror novella by American author Stephen King. First published by Viking Press in 1980 as part of the Dark Forces anthology, an edited version was subsequently included in King's 1985 collection Skeleton Crew. In the story, the small town of Bridgton, Maine is shrouded in a dense mist that conceals otherworldly creatures. The protagonist and narrator David Drayton, who has taken refuge with his young son in a supermarket, tries to survive against not only the creatures of the mist, but also fanatical aggression from other survivors. In The Mist, King addresses the themes of man-made fears and religious fundamentalism.

"Dolan's Cadillac" is a novella by Stephen King. It was originally published in Castle Rock, King's official newsletter, in monthly installments from February to June 1985. In 1993, "Dolan's Cadillac" was collected in Nightmares & Dreamscapes. The story is narrated by the protagonist, a schoolteacher, and there is only one other main character, Dolan.

"The Raft" is a horror short story by Stephen King. It was first published as a booklet included with Gallery in November 1982 and was collected in King's 1985 collection Skeleton Crew.

"Nona" is a short horror story by Stephen King, first published in the 1978 anthology Shadows and later collected in King's 1985 collection Skeleton Crew.

Survivor Type is a horror short story by Stephen King, first published in the 1982 horror anthology Terrors, edited by Charles L. Grant, and included in King's 1985 collection Skeleton Crew. Speaking about the story, King says: "As far as short stories are concerned, I like the grisly ones the best. However, the story 'Survivor Type' goes a little bit too far, even for me."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derry (Stephen King)</span>

Derry is a fictional town in the U.S. state of Maine that has served as the setting for a number of Stephen King's novels, novellas, and short stories, notably It. Derry first appeared in King's 1981 short story "The Bird and the Album" and has reappeared as recently as his 2011 novel 11/22/63.

"Here There Be Tygers" is a short story by American writer Ray Bradbury, originally published in the anthology New Tales of Space and Time in 1951. It was later collected in Bradbury's short story collections R is for Rocket and The Golden Apples of the Sun. It deals with a rocket expedition sent to a planet to see whether or not its natural resources can be harvested for the human race. They discover a paradise which seems to provide for them whatever they desire even as they think of it. They ultimately decide to leave the planet and report that it is hostile and of no benefit to humans.

"Mrs. Todd's Shortcut" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in the May 1984 issue of Redbook magazine, and collected in King's 1985 collection Skeleton Crew.

"Gramma" is a short horror story by American author Stephen King. It was first published in Weirdbook magazine in 1984 and collected in King's 1985 collection called Skeleton Crew. Certain characters/creatures/unearthly powers featured in the works of H. P. Lovecraft also appear in this story, making it a story set in the Cthulhu Mythos.

"The Reaper's Image" is a horror short story by American writer Stephen King, first published in Startling Mystery Stories in 1969 and collected in Skeleton Crew in 1985. The story is about an antique mirror haunted by the visage of the Grim Reaper, who appears to those who gaze into it.

"The Reach" is a short story by American writer Stephen King. First published in Yankee in 1981 under the title "Do the Dead Sing?", it was later collected in King's 1985 collection Skeleton Crew.

"Uncle Otto's Truck" is a horror short story by Stephen King, first published in Yankee in 1983, and collected in King's 1985 collection Skeleton Crew.

<i>A Visit to William Blakes Inn</i>

A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers is a children's picture book written by Nancy Willard and illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen, published by Harcourt Brace in 1981. The next year Willard won the annual Newbery Medal and the Provensens were one runner-up for the Caldecott Medal from the professional children's librarians. William Blake's Inn was the first Newbery-winning book to also be named a Caldecott Honor Book. Last Stop on Market Street later won the 2016 Newbery Medal and a Caldecott Honor.

HMS <i>Tyger</i> British warship wrecked in 1742

HMS Tyger, often spelled Tiger, was a 38-gun fourth rate frigate of the Royal Navy, built by Peter Pett II at Woolwich and launched in 1647. The term 'frigate' during the period of this ship referred to a method of construction, rather than a role which did not develop until the following century. Tyger was the third ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name, and by successive rebuildings she served for almost a century until she was wrecked in the Dry Tortugas in 1742. The ship's crew was stranded on Garden Key for 56 days, fighting off Spanish attempts to capture them, and then spent another 56 days sailing in small boats 700 miles (1,100 km) to Port Royal, Jamaica. Remarkably, only five crew members died during this period: three killed by the Spanish, and two others of natural causes. Six crewmen were captured and imprisoned by the Spanish. The captain and three of his lieutenants were court-martialed over the wreck and subsequent events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadowland (Straub novel)</span>

Shadowland is a horror/fantasy novel by American writer Peter Straub, first published in 1980 by Coward, McCann & Geoghegan. It is a horror novel that has strong elements of fantasy and magic. The book chronicles the tale of two teenage boys and their adventure in the mysterious and dangerous Shadowland where reality and illusions are intertwined. It was the first book Straub wrote following his highly successful Ghost Story.

According to books by Tyson Blue, Stephen J. Spignesi, and Rocky Wood et al., there are numerous unpublished works by Stephen King that have come to light throughout King's career. These allegedly include novels and short stories, most of which remain unfinished. Most are stored among Stephen King's papers in the special collections of the Raymond H. Fogler Library at the University of Maine, some of which are freely accessible to the library's visitors. However, others require King's permission to read. Additionally, there are a number of uncollected short stories, published throughout King's long career in various anthologies and periodicals, that have never been published in a King collection.

<i>The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole</i> Novel by Stephen King

The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole is a fantasy novel by American writer Stephen King. As part of The Dark Tower series, it is the eighth novel, but it is set chronologically between volumes four and five. First mentioned by King in 2009, after the controversial ending of the seventh novel in 2004, the book was officially announced on King's official website on March 10, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerusalem's Lot (Stephen King)</span> Fictional town

Jerusalem's Lot, Maine is a fictional town and a part of writer Stephen King's fictional Maine topography. 'Salem's Lot has served as the setting for a number of his novels, novellas, and short stories. It first appeared in King's 1975 novel 'Salem's Lot, and has reappeared as late as his 2019 novel The Institute. The town is described as being located in Cumberland County, between the towns of Falmouth, Windham, and Cumberland, near the southern part of the state about 10 miles north of Portland. A map on King's official website, though, places 'Salem's Lot considerably further north, approximately in Northwest Piscataquis.

<i>Mr. Harrigans Phone</i> 2022 film directed by John Lee Hancock

Mr. Harrigan's Phone is a 2022 American teen horror drama film written and directed by John Lee Hancock. It is based on the novella of the same name by Stephen King from the collection If It Bleeds. The film stars Donald Sutherland, Jaeden Martell, Joe Tippett and Kirby Howell-Baptiste.

References

  1. "Here There Be Tygers". Horrorking.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-05. Retrieved 2006-07-03.
  2. King, Stephen (1985). Skeleton Crew. New York: Scribner. p. xix. ISBN   9781501143502.